The Marriage and Family Therapy Program at App State
The Marriage and Family Program prepares students to work with individuals, couples, and families in a variety of clinical settings. The in-person program requires 48 semester hours and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The deadline for admission was February 1 for the fall 2021 cohort. Applications will open in early fall to apply to the MFT Masters of Arts Program.
Appalachian State Response to COVID-19
The Marriage and Family Therapy program is following direction from Appalachian State and the UNC System, who are monitoring the ongoing responses to COVID-19. For updated information, please visit AppState Cornovirus Information.
For American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) updates and direction for family therapists, please visit Coronavirus: AAMFT Status.
For North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (NCAMFTE) updates and directions for family therapists in NC, please visit NCAMFT COVID-19 Information.
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy (COAMFTE) updates and direction for MFT training programs, visit COAMFTE Message regarding COVID-19
AAMFT Statement on MFT Responsibility to Counter Racism
The MFT Program at Appalachian State endorses the AAMFT statement regarding our responsibility to actively counter racism. We reject systemic racism and work to counter white supremist ideologies. We continue to be reflective and commit to ongoing work to improve our accountability to inclusively train MFTs. Read the entire AAMFT Statement on MFT Responsibility to Counter Racism.
AAMFT Statement on Anti-Transgender Legislation
The MFT Program at Appalachian State endorses the AAMFT statement opposing anti-trangender legislation. Many of these legislate efforts would enact laws that violate the AAMFT Code of Ethics and counter evidence-based clinical best practices for work with transgender clients and their families. Read the entire AAMFT Statement on Anti-Transgender Legislation.
MFT Program now offering GRE Waiver
In our effort to make graduate education more accessible, the MFT Program is offering the option for applicants to waive the GRE exam for the Fall 2022 admissions cycle. Applicants who would like to be considered for the GRE waiver must meet the following requirments: a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher AND at least two reference letters from professors from whom the applicant has taken at least one course; OR five or more years of professional human services or famly systems-related work experience.
MFT Graduates LCAS Eligible
Marriage and Family Therapy students who complete the requirements for the Addictions Counseling Certificate and complete an internship working with addition and recovery are now eligible to be certified as a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS). Appalachian State University MFT/Addictions Counseling Certificate is now recognized as Criteria C pre-approved substance abuse/addictions Master’s degrees, which is an accelerated path to LCAS certification.
Students and Faculty Presented at NCAMFT Conference
MFT students and faculty presented at the North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (NCAMFT) annual conference. Dr. Jon Winek and students Kayla Reeve and Savannah Barnette presented a breakout session titled Hopeful Frames: Postmodern Therapy in a Post-COVID World. Dr. Kristen Benson and students Diamond Slone Couch, Caroline Bundesman, and Kayla Sapakoff presented a workshop titled Justice Informed MFT Ethics. The NCAMFT conference took place virtually March 18-20, 2021.
MFT Alumnus wins AAMFT Emerging Leaders Award
Lorin Kelly, App State MFT Alumnus (class of 2018) is being awarded the 2020 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Research and Education Foundation Diversity Scholarship for Emerging Leaders Award. Lorin is currently enrolled in the Kansas State University Marriage and Family Therapy Ph.D. Program and is an AAMFT Minority Fellow. She was honored at the virtual AAMFT Conference in November.
Gambrel Served as Editor for JMFT Virtual Issue on Mindfulness in MFT
Dr. Laura Gambrel served at guest editor for the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy virtual issue on Mindfulness in Marriage and Family Therapy. Dr. Gambrel, whose scholaship and training focuses on mindfulness, provides a review of articles related to the theory, research, and clinical practice of mindfulness-based practices in MFT.
Benson Co-Presented at Two Conferences
From the RCOE Connected Newsletter
Dr. Kristen Benson (HPC) co-presented at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy virtual conference with Dr. Christi McGeorge from North Dakota State University, Dr. Hoa Nguyen from Valdosta State University, Katelyn Coburn who is a PhD student at Kansas State, and Dr. Ashley Walsdorf, who is a recent graduate of Georgia State University. The presentation was titled: Helping family therapists work ethically with LGBTQ clients. This presentation was based on the forthcoming chapter they have in the AAMFT Ethics in Systemic Family Therapy book.
She also co-presented at the National Council on Family Relations virtual conference with Dr. Katie Heiden-Rootes from St. Louis University. The presentation was titled: Transgender and Nonbinary Youth and Families: A Systemic Conversation and Call to Action. They presented research-based best practices for therapy with transgender and nonbinary youth and their families, facilitated a conversation with a parent representative from Transparent USA, and developed action steps for clinical advocacy.
MFT Information Session
Interested applicants are invited to join us for a virtual information session to learn about the MFT Program. Visit with current students and faculty on January 25, 12pm EST. Learn more about our mission to provide systemically-oriented, ethical, inclusive, and socially-just training. Please Register to receive a link to the event.
Winek Appointed to NC LMFT Board
Dr. Jon Winek was appointed by Govenor Roy Cooper to serve on the North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board through September 2023. Dr. Winek will work with other LMFTB members to review and approve license applications, enforce ethical standards, and attend to regulatory standards.
MFT Student Awarded Minority Fellowship
Diamond Slone Couch, a graduate student in the Reich College of Education’s (RCOE) Marriage and Family Therapy program (MFT), has been selected as an American Associate for Marriage and Family Therapy/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (AAMFT/SAMHSA) Minority Fellow in the Youth Program.
https://rcoe.appstate.edu/news/diamond-slone-couch-receives-fellowship
Social Justice in Action Fund
The Marriage and Family Therapy Social Justice in Action Fund provides assistance to financially support students from underrepresented populations
HRSA Grant to Fund Clinical Interns
Dr. Karen Caldwell is the recipent of a HRSA grant funded by a Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training for Professionals and Paraprofessionals grant award from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The grant funds internship stipends, which are available to students in their internship year. The goal of the grant is to provide behavioral services to children and youth living in rural Appalachian communities and expand the number of licensed MFTs working in these underserved areas. The stipend amount provided to each recipient is $10,000 over the course of their 12 month internship.